NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that the war in Ukraine could end by the end of this year.

In an interview with El Pais, he added that Russia will remain a threat for a long time, even if a peace agreement is signed.

Rutte, who does not hide his admiration for US President Donald Trump, claims that Trump’s peace plan, which originally included territorial concessions from Ukraine—a red line for Kyiv—is a good basis for discussions.

The proposal contains both reliable elements and some other ones that require further development and dialogue. This is what Ukrainians and the US are currently working on, he said.

Regarding Ukraine’s prospects for NATO membership, Rutte noted that Russia has neither a vote nor a veto right in this regard, but emphasized that several allies, including the US, are opposed.

If that is not possible, Ukraine should at least have sufficient security guarantees to prevent Russia from repeating its attempts, the NATO secretary general added.